1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to conveyance devices for animals, particularly smaller pets.
2. Background Art
Serious pet owners, especially owners of small dogs, cats and the like, have often had a concern about transporting their pets around with them on long walks, in crowded areas, or in areas where it is not safe or accepted for the pet to run about or be walked. Typically, in these type of situations, an owner is forced to carry their pet, often for extended periods of time, causing discomfort, fatigue, and lack of mobility for both the pet and pet owner.
Some prior art devices have attempted to address the problems of transporting a pet in a contained area. One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,775 to Baumsteiger, which discloses a “kennel stroller” wherein a stroller body is provided which is suitable for transporting a pre-existing pet containment device, known in the art as a kennel, or a “travel cage”. The conveyance essentially comprises a frame or carrying a hard-bodied, box-shaped structure.
Another prior art device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,793 to Leader et al. This device comprises a wheeled conveyance which supports a large, box-shaped structure, which in this case, comprises a cage device.
U.S. Design Patents D453,593 and D445,965 to Licciardello depict a “mobile pet carrier” having a fixed mesh enclosure on a modified baby stroller frame.
All of these prior art devices are hard-sided making them incapable of being folded for easy, compact storage. There is a real need in the art for a device that is light, easily used, stored, and transported and which further provides a soft, comfortable environment for the pet. There is also a need for a low-cost, simple to use, alternative device which could easily be used to modify the pre-existing, easily accessible, inexpensive umbrella or similar baby stroller which has the same afore-mentioned pet containment benefits.